Spring-motor



J. T. MILL-BR. SPRING MOTOR..

- (NoMQdel.)

s sheets-sheet a.

J. T. MILLER.

- SPRING MOTOR. 190.413.954. Ptented oct. 29, 1889.

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y acting in conjunction with said band or pul- UNITE-D vSTATES PATENT lOFFICE-f JAMES T. MILLER, or ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

SPRING?- MOTOR.

\ SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 413,954, dated October 29, 1889.

Application led October l2, 1888. Serial No. 287,895. (No model.)

T0 all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JAMES T. MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta,

in the' county of Fulton and State of Georgia,d

have invented certain new and useful lmappertains tomake and use the same.

vMy invention relates to various new and useful improvements in spring-motors which are especially adapted to the operation of sewing-machines, fly-fans, jewelers lathes,

and, in fact, any variety of machinery requir-` ing but a slight power to operate; and myin. vention is characterized by its eXtreme sim.

plicity, thorough effectiveness, portability, and durability, all of which have been demonstrated by practical use.

The objects of my invention are to provide and produce a motor which can be wound in a short time, and when once wound is capable of running several hours; one in which the source of power occupies the least 'possible space; one which can be readily stopped or started, and' one inV which the speed will be always practically uniform; and the novelties of my invention consist of a series of coiled springs coupled together side by side and tending to rotate a shaft, a rotating gearwheel rigidly secured to this shaft, a rocking' leywheel for regulating-and making uniform the speed of the same, and a peculiar ratchet device for winding the operating-springs, all of which will be more fully hereinafter described, and which will be embodied in the claims.

I' will now proceed to describe my invention, attention being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like parts are designated by identical letters'of reference, and in which- Figure l is a plan view of the whole device, showing the manner of attachment with an ordinary sewing-machine; Fig. 2, a sectional Vview of the whole device; Fig. 3, asectional' whereby the device may be stopped and started, and also the mechanism by which the speed of the band or pulley wheel may be always approximately uniform.

From an inspection of Fig. l it will be seen that the device consists of a large cylindrical casing A, within which the operating-springs are located, a smaller cylindrical casing or barrel B, within which are situated the multiplying gear-wheels, the converting device v for rotating the fly or face wheel and a portion of the governing device, and a still smaller'cylindrical casing C, within which the secondary driving-shaft rotates. All of these different parts just enumerated will be described in their regular order.

In most of the spring-motors heretofore used it has been customary to use but one spring, and if the motor is capable of running any considerable length oftime it will be seen that this spring mu st be necessarily very long and bulky, and would thereby render the motor entirely unfit for use on a sewingmachine. By the use of my invention this defect is entirely overcome by simply making use of a number of shorter springs coupled together side by side in a peculiar manner, so that any number of springs will occupy the diametrical space of a single spring.

Thet'orward wall a of the casing B is b, extending directly out therefrom, and within this projection b the main drivingshaft c of the device is adapted to operate. Secured rigidly to the flange d, made integral with the casing B, is the drome, formed with the overhanging iiange e. Placedin juxtaposition to this drum eis another drum f, provided with an overhanging flange f and with a cylindrical hub f2, encircling said projection b and inv a direct vertical line with the flange e. Arranged side by side to the formed .with the long hollow cylindrical projection IOO drum f are any number of other drums g g g g, identically constructed and mounted on the projection ZJ, and these drums are each provided with a hub g', similar to the hub f2, which extends in a direct vertical line with the overhanging liange of the adjacent drum, as shown in Fig. 2.l Before being placed in position on the projection Z) the various operating-springs are first introduced inside of these drums, as follows: Beginning with the drum e, one end of the coiled spring 7L is iirst securely fastened to the over-hanging ange e by means of the pin or screw h. The spring is then wound around the projection b the requisite number of times and is then secured at its other end to the hub f2 of the drumf, so that it will now be seen that all the power of the spring 71 will be exerted in rotating the drum f. secured at one end to the liange f of the drum 'f and is wound around the projection Z) in the same direction as the spring h and is secured to the hub of the adjoining drum. As all of the other springs are placed in position in identically the same manner, further description regarding this is needless.

Then all the springs and drums are in posit-ion on the projection Z), and, with the exception of the drum e, are capable of rotating easily on said projection, it will be seen that when wound the spring in each drum will tend to rotate the adjacent drum, so that exactly or` nearly the same result is accomplished by using a number of short springs as if one continuous spring of the combined lengths of all were used. The end of the spring in the last or farthest drum is secured to the hub or cylindrical portion j of the sleeve j', made of any angular or irregular shape, so that a irm hold will be offered the crank `7'2 when placed in position thereon, and within this sleeve is located the ratchet mechanism for winding up the various springs in the respective drums.

Keyed rigidly to the main driving-shaft c is a nut or hub k, formed on its inner portion with three or more inclined tracks 7c 7e k', and the extreme outer ends of these tracks extend very nearly to the interior walls of t-he sleeve j. Adapted to roll easily back and forth on these inclined tracks k 7c k are the metallic balls Z Z Z, respectively, made of such a size that when at the lowest portion of eac'h track, or that portion nearest the main axle, such balls will also extend very nearly to the interior walls of the sleevcj. It will now be seen that when the crank lfis placed in posi` tion on the sleeve j and rotated, so as to wind up the varioussprings, the balls Z Z Z will not interfere with the rotation of said sleeve, but will be caused to roll in a direction toward the lower portion of each track, and the main driving-shaft c will thereby remain stationary. After being wound and the crank has been removed the various springs will tend to rotate the sleeve j', and this rotation will causethe interior walls of the sleeve j to en- The next spring t' is.

gage with one .or more of the balls ZZ Z, and the said ball or balls will be forced up the inclined tracks, and will thereby become tightly jammed between the sleeve and inclined tracks, so that the hub or nut 7a and the main driving-shaft c will be forced to rotate with it.

In order that the drums may be electively protected from any shock, and to prevent the entrance of any foreign substance, it is advisable to make use of a shield or cover m, made preferably of 4sheet metal, and which may be held rigidly in place by being securely fastened to the immovable drum c.

The shaft c, which should bemade of some very hard met-al, is provided at its extreme end inside of the casing B with a ball n, preferably made integral with said shaft, though of course this is not strictly necessary. Fastened rigidly to this shaft adjacent to the ball n is a beveled cogged wheel o, with its teeth so pitched that a line drawn along the top and bottom of each would pass exactly through the center of the ball n. Upon this ball n another gear-wheel p is mounted, and this gearwheel is what I term a rocking gear-wheel, on account of its peculiar motion when in operation. The teeth of both of these gearwheels are pitched rather more than usual, so that the teeth will slide over each other very readily. The mounting of this rocking gearwheel on the ball n is effected by means of a cap p', partially surrounding said ball n, as shown in Fig. 2, and screwed or otherwise secured to the web of the rocking gear-wheel. It will be seen from an inspection of Fig. 2 that the rocking gear-wheel engages with the gear-Wheel o only at one point, and it will be evident that the rocking gear-wheel is capable of engagement at any point on the pcriphery of the gear-wheel o by simply rocking the gear-wheel p on the ball n, so that its teeth will engage successively with the teeth at different points on the gear-wheel o. In order that the rocking gear-wheel may be prevented from rotating and still not be deprived of its rocking motion, I make use of the device illustrated in Fig. 3. The rocking gear- Wheel has cast on its periphery the two integral ears q q, each provided with a hole extending entirely therethrough, and the center of each hole is exactly in line with the center of thc ball n. A yoke D', as shown in Fig. 3, is provided with the semicircular arms o" 7, and with cylindrical projections 0" r connecting the same. Extending directly through cach arm r, at the middle points thereof, and entering the holes in the ears q q, is a pin r2, so that it will now be apparent that the rocking gearwheel is pivotally mounted with the yoke D. The projection r is pivotally mounted in the casing r3 in the side of the casing B, and the center of said projection is exactly in line with the center of the ball n. By means of this arrangement it will be evident that the gear-wheel p is at liberty to rock freely in all IOO IIO

directions on the ball n, but cannot partake Lila/955i i of a rotary motion.

provided on its interior with a Cylindrical chamber t', preferably extending out tothe ball fn, asshown, in order that the ball may be lubricated, if desired. Fitting t-ightly inside of this chamber is a rod t2, whose other end is in loose engagement with an opening or chamber lin the face ofi the face-wheel u. It will be seen that by rotating the face-wheel u the rodi2 will be caused to rotate with iton a different center, and that this rotation of the rod, communicated by means of the cas'-` ing or hub t, will cause the gear-wheel 'p to partake of a rocking mot-ionso that its teeth will engage, respectively, at succeedingpoints with the teeth of the gear-wheel o.

The face-wheel u is rigidly mounted on the shaft u', provided withV a long cylindrical chamber u2, extending its entire length, and on the other end of this .shaft is mounted the pulley or band wheel t, so as to be deprived of rotary but not lateral movement. This' pulley or band wheel is provided with a chamber o', for the purpose hereinafter explained, and a similar chamber v2 is made in the shaft u for a like reason. Extending the entire i length of the chamber r2 is a rod o3, provided with which the thumb-nut o5 engages.

at one end with an enlarged-head c4, and at the other end with ascrew-threaded portion, The face-wheel uis cast with the two'sets of ears w w, and pivotally mounted upon each set or pair is a governor-weight tu', provided with a right-angled arm wz, engaging under the enlarged head o4 of therod v3. Inside of the chamber o2 is a coiled spring encircling the i rod fus and bearing against the partition which separates said chamber from the chamber to', and in this latter chamber is another spring similarly coiled and bearing against the inside surface of the thumb-nut 05.

The tension ofthe twosprings is sufficiently powerful to normally keep the pulley or band `wheel from bearing against thecasing C, but

when the face-wheel is revolving too rapidly the governor-weights are thrown apart by centrifugal force, thereby elevating the right'- angled levers and the roda with them, and the band or pulley wheel is thereby forced over against the casing until the friction caused therebyis suificient to cause the facewheel to slacken its speed. Vhen the speed has diminished suiiiciently, the centifugal force will not be powerful enough to oppose the tension of the 4two springs, and the band A Cast integrally with the' rocking gear-wheel is a long hub or casing if,

`points on its circumference.

erably one more tooth than the gear-wheel o, though it will.v be understood that lwhen very large vwheels are used this difference may be made correspondingly greater. In order that the action of these gears, may be better understood, l will describe the several coacting parts in a reverse order. First, suppose that the pulley or band wheel is slowly revolved,

1therebyV rotating the shaft u and the facewheel' u with it. This rotation of the facewheel u will cause the rod t2 to move as before described, and this movement of the rod f2 will cause the' gear p to partake ofits rocking motion, and its teeth will engage with the teeth of the vgear-wheel o at successive Y Now, as this rocking gear-Wheel has one more tooth than `the gear-wheel o, it follows that for every time it makes a complete rocking movement i. e., has engaged with every tooth on the gear-wheel o-the gear-wheel o will be advanced one tooth. Now, therefore, if the gear-wheel 0 is made to rotate by the tension of the operating-springs, it will cause the gear-wheel p to perform one entire rocking movement for every tooth which may beadvanced on the vdriving-gear 0. the gear-wheel p make's one complete rocking movement the pulley-wheelis rotated once by means of the connecting-rod t2, and l consequently it will be seen that the pulley or band wheel will make as many revolutions while the gear-wheel o is rotating once as the entire number of teeth on such gearwheel. Y Y

In'order that the different parts may be lubricated or repaired, if necessary, it might be advisable to hinge the upperportion'l of the casing B, so that free access could be readily'had with the interior of such casing.

Every time,

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The whole apparatus is adapted to Vbe lsef cured to the sewing-machine or other dev/ice by means of bolts or screws passing down through suitable openings in the plate G, and the power from` the pulley or band wheelv is of course utilized by suitable belting.

Such a device as above described has undergone several practical tests, and it has been found that siX springs, occupying a space of less than seven inches in diameter by ten IIO inches in length, have', by means of the t'wo the connecting-rod t2, and the pulley or band wheel, substantially as herein set forth.

12. In a spring-motor, a series of coiled .springs arranged side by side and all connected together, in combination with the mai-n driving-shaft c, formed with a ball n thereon, rotating gear-wlieel mounted on said shaft, a rocking gear-wheel loosely mounted on said ball, the rod t2, connected to said rocking gearwlieel, and the pulley or band wheel, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the operatin g-sp rin gs, the main driving-shaft c, deriving power therefrom, rotating gear-wheel rigidly mounted on said shaft, having the ball n formed oli the end of said shaft, the rocking gear-wheel p, loosely mounted on said ball, the yoke D, embracing said rocking gear-wheel, for the purpose set forth, the coiinecting-rod t2, and the pulley-Wheel, all combined and arranged substantially as describedl 4. The combination of the operating-spri n gs, the sleeve j, connected thereto, the hub or lint 7o, fitting loosely within said sleeve and provided. with inclined tracks k 7c lo', the balls Z l l, mounted on such inclines, the main driving-sliaft rigidly connected to said hub or nut, the rotating gear-wheel mounted on said main shaft, having the ball n formed on the end of said shaft, the rocking gear-wheel loosely mounted on said ball, the yoke D, encircling said rocking .gearfwheeh the connecting-rod lf2, and the pulley or band wheel, silbstantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the operatingsprings, the main drivingshaft connected therewith, rotating gear-Wheel mounted on said shaft, having the ball n foimed on the extreme end of said shaft, the rocking gearwheel p, mounted loosely on said ball, the rod lf2, connecting said rocking gear with the fly-wheel o, the face-wheel u, the shaft u', and pulley or band wheel mounted on the same, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the operatingsprings, the main driviiig-shaft connected therewith, the rotating gear mounted on said shaft, having the ball a formed on the eX- treme end of said shaft, the rocking gear p, loosely mounted on said shaft, the connectiiig-rod t2, the face-wheel u, mounted on the shaft u', the rod o3 within said shaft, and the pulley or band wheel mounted on said shaft, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of the operatingsprings, the main driving-shaft connected therewith, the rotating gear-wheel mounted on said shaft, having the ball formed on the eXtreme end of said shaft, the rocking gearwheel loosely mounted on said ball, the rod3 t2, the face-wheel u, the shaft u', the rod i; Within the saine, and the governor-weights acting with said rod, for the purposes set forth, substantially as described.

8. The combination of the operatingsprings, the main driving-shaft connected therewith, the rotating gear-wheel mounted on said shaft, having the ball fn formed on the end of the same, the rocking gear-Wheel p, mounted loosely on said ball, the connecting-rod t2, the face-wheclyu, mounted on the shaft u', the rod o Within said shaft, the governor-weights pivotally attached to said face-wheel, coiled springs encircling said rod o3, for the purposes set forth, and the pulleywheel mounted on said shaft u', substantially as herein described.

9. The combination of the operatingsprings, the main driving-shaft connected therewith, the rotating gear-wheel mounted on said shaft, having the ball n foi'med on the end of the same, the rocking gear-Wheel 17, mounted loosely on said ball, the connecting-rod t2, the face-wheel u, mounted on the shaft u', the rod r3 within said shaft, the governor-weights pivotally attached to said face-wheel, coiled springs encircling said rod u, for the purposes set forth, the pulley or band wheel mounted on saidy shaft u', and the tliumb-iiut on the extreme end of the rod u, substantially as described.

10. In a spriiig-inotor, the combination, with a gear-Wheel o, rotated by means of springs, of a gear-wlieel p, provided with a different number of teeth from the gear-wheel o, oscillatingly mounted on a ball and held from rotation by means of a yoke, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I my signature in presence of two witnesses.

. JAMES T. MILLER.

\Vitnesses:

WM. H. HULsEY, W. C. ASHER. 

